Puzzle.



H. B. CLEVELAND.

' PUZZLE.

APPLIOATION FILED M A'R.27,1912.

Patented May 28, 1912.

"wifro'wses HENRY BURDETT CLEVELAND, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. May 28,1912.

Application fi1ed March 27, 1912. Serial No. 686,566.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIENRY BURDETT CLEVELAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, county of Albany, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements and consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed. I

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

' Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a top plan view of my improved puzzle. F ig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same, showing the self-righting body at its normal angle relative to the bottom of the inclosure. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the self-righting body at a favorable abnormal angle relative to the bottom of the box, at which angle it is adapted to pass between the posts forming the tortuous passageway.

The principal object of the invention is to test the patience and skill of the operator of the puzzle.

Referring to the drawings wherein the invention is shown in preferred form, 1, represents an inclosure in the form of a shallow box havmg a bottom, 2, and a transparent top, 3, which may be made of glass, cellu loid, or the like. A plurality of posts, 4:, are erected from'the bottom surrounding a. central space, 5, and certain of the openings between neighboring posts form a tortuous passageway leading to said surrounded space, through which passageway the inclosed body, 6, is adapted in certain positions to pass to enter said central space 5. For example, in certain positions the body, 6, is adapted to pass through the successive openings, 7, to enter said space. The posts are preferably so placed in relation to one another as to form obstacles to prevent the body, 6, from entering said central space except by passing along said tortuous passageway. Certain of the posts may be separated by openings sufficiently large to permit the body, 6, to pass therethrough in certain positions, forming blind passageways leading out from the main tortuous passageway formed by the openings 7 Ihave shown such blind passageways formed by opening 8. The openings other than those forming the main tortuous passageway and the blind passageways are preferably made so narrow that in no position can the body, 6, pass therethrough.

The body, 6, is a self-righting body, being so weighted that it automatically returns to its normal angle relative to the bottom of the inclosure whenever it is permitted to freely respond to the force of gravitation. The body, 6, is of such a shape that when it is in normal position its top-plan dimensions are greater than the width of the passageway formed by the openings, 7, while its dimensions in at least one oblique plane are less than the width of said passageway.

Thus, when the body, 6, is at its normal angle to the bottom of the inclosure, it will be found too large to pass through the openings between posts forming the tortuous passageway, as shown in Fig. 2; but, when tipped to the proper angle, as shown in Fig. 3, it can freely pass through said openings. It is thus within the skill of the operator by either tipping or jarring the inclosure to cause said body, 6, to move along the'bottom of the inclosure until it approaches one of the openings, 7, forming the tortuous passageways, and then by a sudden jar to rock the body to such an inclined position that it will pass through said opening. By skill and patience the body can thus be made to traverse the whole tortuous passageway and enter the central space, 5, to successfully solve the puzzle.

The tortuous passageway leading to the central space may be defined and protected by any other form of obstacle mounted within the inclosure instead of the posts, 4:, shown in the drawings.

For certain purposes of the invention the body, 6, may be of any desired shape subject to the above stated restrictions as to its dimensions.

In the preferred form of my invent-ion, I have adapted the puzzle to a representation of the placing of a hat in a prize-ring in accordance with a long established sporting custom. In this application of my invention, I place a number of the posts, 4:, imme- Y inclosure a representation of a rope leading from one to another of said posts, thus producing the appearance of a roped prizering, and I make the body, 6, in the form of a hat, as shown, subject to the above stated limitations as to its dimensions. The representation of rope, 9, may be accomplished in any known manner, as by attaching to the celluloid top a substance representing rope, by simply printing a representation of rope upon the celluloid cover, or by printing and embossing the representation of rope on the celluloid cover.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A puzzle comprising an inclosure having a bottom and a transparent top, and having an interior space surrounded by obstacles in fixed relation to said bottom separated by openings forming a tortuous pas sageway leading to said space, and a self righting body movably supported upon the bottom of the inclosure, and of such shape and dimensions that it is adapted to pass through said openings only when at an abnormal angle to said bottom.

2. A puzzle comprising an inclosure having a bottom and a transparent top, and a plurality of posts erected from said bottom surrounding an interior space, certain of the openings between said posts forming a tortuous passageway leading to said space, and a self-righting body movably supported upon the bottom of the inclosure, and of such shape and dimensions that it is adapted to pass through said openings only when at an abnormal angle to said bottom.

3. A puzzle comprising an inclosure hav ing a bottom and a transparent top, said top bearing a representation of a rope inclosing a prize-ring, a plurality of posts erected from said bottom surrounding said ring, certain of the openings between said posts forming a tortuous passageway leading to said ring, and certain of said posts being arranged relatively to said representation of a rope similarly to the posts of a prizering, and a self-righting body in the form of a hat movably supported upon the bottom of the inclosure, and of such shape and di' mensions that it is adapted to pass through said openings only when at an abnormal angle to said bottom.

4:. A puzzle comprising an inclosure having a bottom and a transparent top, said top bearing a representation of a rope inclosing a prize-ring, a plurality of posts erected from said bottom surrounding said ring, certain of the openings between said posts forming a tortuous passageway leading to said ring, and certain of said posts being arranged relatively to said representation of a rope similarly to the posts of a prize ring, and a body in the form of a hat movably supported upon the bottom of the inclosure, and adapted in certain positions to pass through said openings.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of March, 1912.

HENRY BURDETT CLEVELAND.

\Vitnesses J. E. DONSBACH, R. A. LEDUC.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

